Current wheel



April 13, l 948.

CURRENT WHEEL Filed May 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Attorneys J. M.` MORRIS 2,439,575

April 13, 1948. J. M ,Rms 2,439,575

CURRENT WHEEL Filed May 17, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 y aw Inventor By 45W Patented, Apr. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEIcE 2,439,575 CURRENT WHEEL John M. Morris, Atlanta, Ga. Application May 17, 1945, Serial No. 594,350 1 Claim. (Cl. 170-110) This invention relates to a Wheel adapted to be driven by a current of water or the like and used for driving a dynamo or other machinery.

More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in current wheels of that type embodying a rotary disc to which are hinged a plurality of blades or paddles so that they may fold in one direction toward and parallel with the disc, and wherein means is provided to stop each blade in a position at right agnles to the disc when it is unfolded.

An object of the present invention is to provide a current wheel of the above kind which is comparatively simple in construction, highly eflicient in operation, and adapted to be readily and economically manufactured.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a current wheel constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken online 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present current wheel includes a sheet metal disc 5 having a central hub 6 adapted to receive and be secured on a driven shaft 'l which is journaled in a suitable frame or support 8 and adapted to drive a dynamo or other machinery 9.

The wheel further includes a plurality of spoonshaped sheet metal paddles or blades .I 0, each having an inner reduced or shank portion Il hinged to one side of the disc 5 adjacent the periphery of the latter, by means of a leaf hinge I2, one leaf of which is riveted or otherwise secured to the shank l I and the other leaf of which is similarly secured to the disc 5. The blades or paddles are uniformly spaced and radiate from the disc 5, the hinges being disposed so that the blades or paddles may all fold in one direction toward and parallel with the disc 5. The shank Il of each blade is provided on the side edge adjacent the disc 5 lwith a stop disposed at right angles to the blade shank and the disc when the blade is The arrangement is such that the blades on one side of the axis of the wheel unfold by the action of the current, while those upon the other disc 5 and blades l 0 may be readily stamped from sheet metal, and conventional leaf hinges may be employed for assembling the blades to the disc.

of the disc and are given a shape in the form of the bowl of a spoon.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by It will be apparent that the wheel may be driven regardless of the direction of the current.

I claim:

A current wheel comprising a single disc having a central hub for reception of a driven shaft, a plurality of more than two separate spoonshaped sheet metal blades radiating from the disc and arranged in uniformly spaced relation, each lparallel with the disc, the

blades on one side of the `axis of the disc unfolding by the action of the current, and'those on the other side of said axis automatically folding up toward and parallel with the disc by the action of the current, and a ange on the other side edge of the shank of each blade, said flange being disposed at. right angles to the shank so as to atly butt the adjacent face of the disc when the blade is unfolded.

JOHN M. MORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: v

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Beach Dec. 31, 1901 Woodland Jan. '1, 1919 Turner v June 16, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Austria 1913 

